Auxis thazard
Frigate Mackerel
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GNR
Collection Details
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Scombridae (Mackerels)
Auxis
Auxis thazard (Frigate Mackerel)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Two longitudinal ridges on tongue, widely separated dorsal fins, and a corselet of scales with a narrow posterior extension. Snout is about equal to eye diameter. Maxilla extends below eye and is mostly exposed when mouth is closed. Jaw teeth are slender, conical, little compressed, and arranged in a single series. Gill rakers on first arch number 36 to 44 (usually 38 to 42). Pectoral fin is short, reaching slightly beyond dorsal section of corselet, and has 23 to 25 rays. First dorsal fin originates over pectoral fin base and has 10 to 12 spines. Second dorsal fin originates more than one first-dorsal-fin-base length behind first dorsal fin, has 10 to 12 rays, and is followed by eight finlets. Interpelvic process is unilobed and longer than pelvic fin. Anal fin is similar in shape and size to second dorsal fin, is located behind base of second dorsal fin, has 11 to 14 rays, and is followed by seven finlets. Caudal peduncle has a well-developed lateral keel between short diagonal keels. Caudal fin is semilunate and rather short and deep. Body is naked except for corselet of scales extending behind head to insertion of dorsal fin, along lateral line to slightly beyond level of second dorsal fin, posterolaterally from gill opening to slightly beyond tip of pectoral fin, and posteriorly from isthmus to end of pelvic fin base. Posterior extension of corselet of scales along lateral line is usually no more than five scales wide at level of second dorsal fin origin. Lateral line is single and more or less straight. Gas bladder is absent. Vertebrae number 39: 20 precaudal and 19 caudal.
Color is bluish to nearly black dorsally and white ventrally. Head is darker than back, and 15 or more moderately narrow, oblique to nearly horizontal wavy lines are located above corselet extension along lateral line.
Distribution
In the western Atlantic it occurs from southern Florida and Bermuda to southeastern Brazil, including the entire Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Epipelagic in neritic and oceanic waters
Forms large schools
Biology
Food consists of crustaceans, cephalopods, and ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size is 58 cm FL
Fecundity ranges up to 1.37 million eggs. Maturity is reached at about 29 cm FL.
Adults are epipelagic in neritic and oceanic waters (Ref. 9340). They feed on small fish, squids, planktonic crustaceans (megalops), and stomatopod larvae (Ref. 5213). Because of their abundance, they are considered an important element of the food web, particularly as forage for other species of commercial interest. They are preyed upon by larger fishes, including other tunas (Ref. 9987). Marketed fresh and frozen (Ref. 9340) and also utilized dried or salted, smoked and canned (Ref. 9987).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2022-03-01. Resilience: Medium (K=0.8; tmax=5; tm=2.5; Fec=200,000 to >1 million).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish.
References
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Collette 2001e
Collette 2002g
Uchida 1981
Collette and Nauen 1983
Fujii 1983g
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Collette and Aadland 1996
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Collette, B.B. and C.E. Nauen (1983) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 2. Scombrids of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of tunas, mackerels, bonitos and related species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(2):137 p.
Collette, B.B. (1995) Scombridae. Atunes, bacoretas, bonitos, caballas, estorninos, melva, etc. p. 1521-1543. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome.
Collette, B.B. (2001) Scombridae. Tunas (also, albacore, bonitos, mackerels, seerfishes, and wahoo). p. 3721-3756. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome.
Cayré, P., J.B. Amon Kothias, T. Diouf and J.M. Stretta (1993) Biology of tuna. p. 147-244. In A. Fonteneau and J. Marcille (eds.) Resources, fishing and biology of the tropical tunas of the Eastern Central Atlantic. FAO Fish. Tech. Pap. 292. Rome, FAO. 354 p.
Blaber, S.J.M., D.A. Milton, N.J.F. Rawlinson, G. Tiroba and P.V. Nichols (1990) Diets of lagoon fishes of the Solomon Islands: Predators of tuna baitfish and trophic effects of baitfishing on the subsistence fishery. Fish. Res. 8(3):263-286.
Collette, B.B. and C.R. Aadland (1996) Revision of the frigate tunas (Scombridae, Auxis), with descriptions of two new subspecies from the eastern Pacific. Fish. Bull. 94(3):423-441.
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